LG has introduced a new 97-inch LG Signature TV called Signature M3, which will hit retail in the second half of the year. The new TV’s claim to fame is to feature an LG-proprietary “Zero Connect1” wireless video input that has fast enough to transmit a 4K/120Hz video feed perfectly.
All the usual TV connections typically located in the back of a TV have been moved to a Zero Connect box which would be located within 30 feet of the television itself. Users can, therefore, immaculately install this OLED masterpiece to use the TV as a piece of art to elevate the room’s design.
Zero Connect box (right) next to a Blu-Ray player (left)
It’s hard to go wrong when you have such a beautiful display in any room. Still, for the most demanding and design-conscious customers LG’s Zero Connect might be the ultimate sway factor, as there’s only one remaining cable for Power.
We don’t have any pricing yet, but it’s not hard to imagine this will not come cheap. Granted, we suspect it won’t be as expensive as the LG Signature R rollable TV (~$100k), but LG has smaller Zero Connect sizes (83” and 77”) which will, without a doubt, make the wireless TVs more affordable.
LG’s wireless protocol does not use typical WiFi radio frequencies like 2.4Ghz or 5/6Ghz to avoid interferences. However, the company is still finalizing the specifications before providing more details.
Our team got an in-person view and test of the Signature M3 and can confirm that the picture was flawlessly streamed even in a crowded space.
The data throughput seems to be 3X higher than the fastest WiFi, but the latency between the Zero Connect box and the display is unknown at the moment. That might be important for interactive applications like games, and since the TV is compatible with NVIDIA’s G-Sync, we know LG already thought about it.
Technically, latency should not be a big issue for this kind of point-to-point connection. Reading through LG’s announcement, there are additional details:
“To ensure the seamless transfer of data from the box to the TV, the company developed an algorithm that instantly identifies the optimal transmission path. The algorithm also helps to minimize transmission errors or disruptions as it can recognize changes in the immediate environment – such as people or pets moving around the room – and switch paths accordingly. Additionally, for maximum signal strength, the box’s antenna can be easily rotated and/or tilted to align with the TV’s location.”
The TV’s wireless receiver
Ideally, one would have a direct line of sight between the box and the TV’s receiver (located at the bottom edge of the display). In practice, there may be temporary obstructions like people/animals or things (carts, chairs etc). The box’s radio controller seems to be using beam forming and possibly radio bounces to find the best signal path.
Could you try hacking something like this with a pair of $250 HDMI wireless transmitters? Conceptually yes, but you would have a hard time finding a 4K/120Hz transmitter with this level of reliability. 1080p/120Hz is doable but that’s 4X less visual information to reliably transmit.
In conclusion, we love the design and overall user experience of the Signature M3. To assess its final value, we’ll need to know its MSRP and how much the wireless feature adds to the cost.
Filed in . Read more about 4K TV, CES, CES 2023, LG, Oled and Oled Tv 4k.